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More than 95 Probable Swine Flu Cases in Illinois
Produced by City Room on Thursday, April 30, 2009
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Yatsiri Aquilar, of Chicago, is examined by Dr. Annie Lai for symptoms of the swine flu virus (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) |
The number of probable swine flu cases in Illinois has now climbed above 95. Three of the cases are confirmed by the CDC. The news comes as the state begins to distribute drugs and equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile.
The Illinois Department of Public Health says Cook, Kane, Will and DuPage counties all have multiple probable cases. Lake and McHenry counties have one probable case each. None of Illinois' cases has yet been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control. But state public health officials say the preliminary tests are 99 percent accurate.
Illinois Thursday began to distribute anti-viral drugs - along with masks, gloves and surgical gowns - from the Strategic National Stockpile. State workers and members of the National Guard are putting together those swine flu kits for local health departments and hospitals. Altogether the state says it has more than a million courses of Tamiflu and Relenza - two drugs known to lessen the flu's symptoms.
Related: Daley scoffs at avoiding subway
Related: Flu projections for Chicago area
Blog: Why this flu is unique
Blog: Have you had enough swine flu talk?
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Sarah, Rogers Park // Wednesday, April 29, 2009 @ 5:15 PM
I'm a student at Loyola, and I just got an email from the administration there...apparently a Loyola student has swine flu! yikes...if this gets into college dorms, I imagine it will be spreading quite quickly.
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Porky Pig, Pilsen // Wednesday, April 29, 2009 @ 9:57 PM
OMG! It's the apocalypse. People getting sick in Chicago? Unheard of! Truly, the end times are upon us thanks to this unstoppable disease. I heard people are dying in the streets over in Lincoln Park. You should add that to the death charts you have on the site. Right? Those are all the people who have died, right?
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Laura, Rogers Park // Thursday, April 30, 2009 @ 10:50 AM
So far, I have not heard on any media outlets why this flu is different from any other flu that goes around each year. According to the WHO, 250,000 to 500,000 people die every year from influenza. Why is this flu different?
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Victor, Roscoe Vil // Friday, May 01, 2009 @ 12:08 AM
I think the difference is that these new diseases spread very quickly and have high death rate, especially among the elderly. When I lived in Hong Kong, we went through bird flu (twice) and SARS. I think there is a lot of fear, and people in Chicago are not as scared yet as we were in Hong Kong, especially during SARS. So if 299 people died during that time in Hong Kong because of SARS within a span of 8 months... 6.5million ppl in HK.... compared to 300 million in the US... that would be the equivilant to .000046 of the population would be equivalent to 13,800 people in the US dieing of a disease. Now I am not saying that this short analysis has any real statistical value, but it draws to the point, how many people will die before people take new strains of highly virile viruses before people take things seriously? By the end, people were freaking out and never left the house. However, back in high school, during SARS, all the bars were at least 50% off and nothing happened to me (and I left the house without my Louis Vuitton mask). Right now, in the US, I do think there is some stress about the matter but no where close to mass anxiety. I hope that people become cautious and protect themselves before too many die.
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Anne, Rogers park // Friday, May 01, 2009 @ 10:13 AM
i was more worried yesterday&the day before-less now.it's the flu w/a new aspect.stay in bed if sick.
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Curtis, Lincoln Square // Friday, May 01, 2009 @ 11:12 AM
You folks at NPR and PR Chicago need to get the name right for this flu to keep your reputation for "getting it right".
Despite its name, there is no evidence at this time that this tragic outbreak of H1N1 (swine) flu came from pigs. It is spread person-to-person and not from eating pork. While there are precautions, you can take to keep yourself healthier, avoiding a tasty pork chop is not one of them and continuing to use the incorrect name for this flu hurts agricultural markets here and around the world and leads to misinformation. President Obama and the CDC have made the correction, please follow suit.
Thank you,
Curtis
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